Big Island All Solid Mango Concert Ukulele

599.00

This is the updated model Big Island, now equipped with a lovely branded hard case.

This beauty of a uke, the Big Island concert in mango is the uke that made me decide I needed a concert sized ukulele in my own personal arsenal. It really is a personal favourite! Let’s be honest here, I am supposed to try and persuade other people to buy ukuleles – but in the case of this Big Island all solid mango concert? Well, I’m having a seriously hard job convincing myself NOT to buy it.

With this in mind, I’ve searched for things I don’t like about it. Searched and searched and searched. I suppose you could say the closed, geared tuners are a touch bulky if you look at the back of the headstock – but they work well, have beautiful mango, gloss buttons and well, who stares at the back of their uke long enough to get upset by such a minor issue. And picking even further, the official designation is the Big Island U-BI-MO-CT. So beautiful, yet amongst the most cumbersomely named ukuleles on the market. Strings? I’m not always a fan of Aquila Nylgut on EVERY instrument but they sure suit this concert. And there’s no way I’m going to change the strings and discover I like them even more as then I’ll HAVE to buy it!

It is a seriously sensational thing to look at, with an abalone Big Island headstock logo, mango inlaid headstock cap and that striking, handsome Hawaiian koa soundhole rosette. All of this adds up to some high end good looks and then… there’s the all solid mango body which is beautiful in its own right! This Big Island concert ukulele is the musical equivalent of a catwalk model.

The mahogany neck is a regular shape in your hand, while the 38mm nut gives enough room for your fingers to dart around and enjoy the high grade rosewood fingerboard and nice playing action. Once you’re off, it is hard to stop as it feels so rewarding to play, with the lovely tone this Big Island uke delivers. The tone is bright, without being brash, giving you pronounced trebles, but highs that never drown out the bass end of the spectrum. And the separation of notes and clarity it delivers are first rate. I play a tune that centres on the E and A strings, with the G and C strings used open, as a drone. It takes a good uke for the fretted notes to stand out clear and loud against those booming open strings. And this is a good uke.

While I should be concluding this Big Island mango concert review with a sensible statement about its fine looks and strong sound, instead I am imploring you to please… buy it before I do! By producing some elements abroad, then assembling, finishing and setting up in Hawaii, the Big Island Ukulele Company have managed to get a really fine ukulele at a really good price. And there I go again, justifying it to myself! Help!

There's an option to buy this Big Island ukulele as it is - or to have a Mi-Si acoustic trio professionally fitted. If you go for the latter (and what a fantastic thing you'll have!), please allow a week for delivery.

At the bottom, the additional info button will bring up a video demo of the Big Island mango concert uke.

Matt

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Additional Info

This video demonstration of the Big Island concert ukulele is by Liam Capper-Starr